Combined chair and table



April12,`1949.% M. LAMBE-m 2,466,956

COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE ATTURNEYS.

AprillZ, 1949. M. LAMBERT .224662956 COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE `Filed Feb.v 2s, 194e l s sheets-sheet 2 J4 421 l2 29 v l /3 (Y F194 m Q7 7 I I Milto Lambert l A BY @wenn A ATT RNEYS'.

INVENTOR.

April 12, 1949. l M. LAMBERT Z,"466,956

COMBINED CHAIR AND vTABLE Filed Feb. 28, 194e y 3 sheets-sheet;

NVENTOR.' Milton La'mber'l,

'WML

ATT R EYS.

Patented Apr. 12, 1949 2,466,956 COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Milton Lambert, Forest Hills, N. Y. Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,846

15 claims. l

This invention relates to a combined chair and table, and more particularly torsuch a combination which is especially adapted for a child's use.

One object of the invention is to provide such an article of furniture, wlierein the table top is provided with an opening through which the chair may protrude and be supported on suitable means from which it may be readily detached` or removed in order that both the table and chair may be separately used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair and table combination wherein the chair is readily adjustable both vertically and horizontally relative' to the table top in order to permit easy, secure and comfortable occupancy in use. I

as well as adjustment for size and age of the child.

A further object of the invention is to provide hinged leaves at the' table top opening, which will act as side arms or side portions for the chair when same vis suspended in place and will close the table top opening when the chair is Withdrawn therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, attractive and inexpensive piece of furniture which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then nally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

In carrying out a preferred form of the present invention it was found advantageous to provide a table, the top of which is provided with a cutout or opening, through which a chair may be inserted and suitably supported upon a carriage 2 line I-I of Figure 2 at an enlarged scale and showing the chair and table combination;

Figure 2 is a top plan view looking down on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 -of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional view taken lon the line 5-5 of Figure 1 at an enlarged scale;

Figure 6v is a fragmental sectional view taken along 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but with the chair removed and the table top opening closed;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4, but with the chair removed, the table top opening closed and the foot-rest in folded position;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a different form of the chair support;

Figure 10 is a fragmental sectional view taken along line Ill-III of Figure 9 at an enlarged scale and Figure 11 is a similar view to Figure 10 but u showing the table top opening closed.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings in detail the numeral I2 indicates the chair and the numeral I3 the table of the combination embodied in the present invention. 'Ihe table II has a flat top I4 which may be.. covered with a slidably supported underneath the table top. It 1 was further found advantageous to provide hinged leaves at two sides of the table top opening which are adapted to act as side arms or side portions for the chair when in place, and to close the opening to complete the table top when the chair y is removed. Likewise it was found advantageous to provide means for adjusting the chair vertically and horizontally with respect to the tableV covering I5 made of any suitable fabric or other material which will enhance the appearance and add to the utility of the table. An apron I6 surrounds the table top on all four sides thereof and is provided with an upwardly extending flange IGa (see Figures 1 and 2) which serves to prevent the childs playthings from falling olf the table. The table is provided with legs l1 which are pivotally secured to the apron I6 by means of bolts or studs I8 in order that the said legs may be folded within the said apron.

The table top I4 is provided with a rectangular opening or cut-out I9 which is bound on three sides by the table top and on the fourth side by the apron I6. As best shown in Figures 6 and I a pair of leaves 20 are pivotally connected to the table top Il at opposite edges of the opening I9 by means of hinges ZI, said leaves having the dual purpose of forming side arms or side portions 'for the chair when in place and to close the openingA I9 whenthe chair is removed. As

' shown in Figure 5 the leaves 20 may be covered with a coveringI I5 similar to that of the table top over a sponge rubber padding S .to add to the comfort of the chair occupant when said leaves are used as side arms or side portions for the chair I2.

The chair I2 may be of any suitable type and merely comprises a body supporting member or seat vor as shown in Figure 4 it may be of the folding type comprising a seat frame having a front member 22 and side members 23 to which members may be secured a seat portion 24. The chair may also include front legs 25 pivotally secured to the frame portions 23 at 26 and rear.

legs 21 pivotally secured to the frame portions 23 at; 23. The legs 25 and 21 are adapted to support the chair when same is used separately and may be folded back into the frame as shown in4 Figures 4 and 6 when suspended in place on the table.

The chair I2 is preferably'provided with a back 29 pivotally connected by means of hinges 39 to an upstanding cross -bar 3l carried at tbe rear of the chair frame members 23. A brace 32 carried at the lower rear end of the back 29 is arranged to have its lower edge rest upon the upper edge of the cross bar 3| for supporting the |back in the inclined position shown in Figure 4. A link or catch 33 pivoted at its upper end 34 to the brace 32 passes downwardly through a slot or groove 36 in the cross bar 3l and is provided at its lower end with a pin 35 adapted to contact or engage the lower surface of the cross bar 3| to releasably lock the back in said inclined position. The dotted line position of the link 33 shows same in its disengaged position when it is desired to fold the back 29 upon the seat 24. The seat 24 and the back 29 may be covered with upholstering material 31 and 38 respectively.

As shown in Figure 2, a pair of oppositely disposed parallel rods or pipes 39 flank two sides of the table top opening I9 and are supported in deep counterbored holes 40 in the front and rear apron members I6. Suspended from the pipes 39 is a chair supporting carriage C which comprises a pair of cylindrical sleeves 4I, one for each pipe 39, said sleeves have a sliding lt with their respective pipes 39. Rigidly connected to each of the sleeves 4I by means of rivets 43 is a pliable strap 42 which in turn has secured thereto a rigid strap 44 by means of rivets 45 to add rigidity to the said carriage.

The lower ends of the straps 42 are provided with a plurality of openings or holes 46, (see Figure l) said holes being adapted to receive the tongue 46a of a buckle 41, one such buckle being attached at 48 (see Figures 3 and 6) to each end of respective planks 49 and 50 upon which the chair frame is supported. The aforegoing arrangement of buckles and strap openings provides means for adjusting the chair vertically with respect to the table top, as will be understood the engagement of the Ibuckle tongue with the upper strap holes will move the chair up and engagement of said tongues with the lower holes will lower the chair. The connection lbetween the planks 49 and 50 and the chair frame comprises a dowel 52 at each end of the plank 50 in operative engagement with a hole 53 in the frame members 23. A pair of rods or pipes 5I fastened between the planks 49 and 59 maintain said planks in proper spaced relation to each other. To secure the chair I2 in place on the planks 49 and 59 there is provided a hook 54 pivoted at 55 to the plank 49, and is adapted to engage an eye -56 secured to the underside of the seat 24 of said Ychair I2.

(See Figures 3 and 4.) The same type of support may be provided for a non-foldable or rigid type of chair, the only difference being that the chair legs instead of being folded would depend from the chair frame.

An adjustable foot rest F is provided at the front of the chair. The said foot rest comprises a board 51 pivotally connected to the front plank 49 by means of a pair of hinges 58. The said board 51 acts as a support for a tread 59 which is hingedly connected thereto by means of hinges 66. Said hinges 69 are secured to the Lboard 51 by means of screws 6I and wing nuts 62. In order that the tread 59 may be vertically adjustable in the board 51 for accommodating different size children, a series of vertically spaced apart holes 63 are provided in said board for the reception of the screws 6I at the said various heights.

For the comfort of the child, the foot rest may be placed in a tilted or reclining position, this is accomplished by swinging a link 64 pivoted at 65 on the plank 49 so that the outer square end of said link engages the back of the board 51 and cause same to swing outwardly on its hinges 58. When the link 64 is in inoperative position it does not appreciably extend beyond the forward edge of the plank 49.

As shown in Figure 4, a guard'strap 66 may be fastened at one end thereof to the center portion of the underside of the table top I4 adjacent to the opening I9. The other end of the said strap when in operative position, passes under the front frame member 22 of the chair I2 and over the plank 49 and is secured at the rear thereof by means of a snap fastener 61 a plurality of which are provided at the said strap end in order to lengthen or shorten its effective length.

When the chair is removed from its support on the table and it is desired to use the table in the normal manner, the foot rest board 51 may be swung about the hinges 58,(see Figure 8) until it comes to rest upon the plank 49, the planks 49 and 50 are moved upwardly together with the buckles 41 the straps 42 are folded over as shown in Figure '1, and the tongues 46a of the buckles 41 are passed through the holes 68 in the upper part of the said straps 42, such holes being clearly shown in Figure l. When the straps 42 are thus folded, the planks 49 and 50 will be brought close to the underside of the table top, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and a spacer block 69 on the plank 50 will underlie and support the leaves 2l in their normal upper extended position. The free ends of the straps are maintained in said position by the strap 66 which passes under and around the free ends of the straps 42 and is secured to the block 69 by means of a snap fastener 10. l

As before stated the sleeves 4I are slidably arranged on the pipes 39 in order to provide horizontal adjustment of the chair with respect to the table top opening I 9. To releasably lock the chair in adjusted position, there is provided a spring metal catch 1| secured at one end thereof to the underside of the table top I4, the opposite or free end of said catch being adapted to engage any one of a series of slots 13 in one of the sleeves 4I to lock and maintain the chair in adjusted position. To release or unlock the chair there is provided a lever arm 14 pivotally mounted at 15 on a bracket 16 secured to the underside of the table top I4. By swinging the lever 14 on lts pivot 15 from its dot and dash position to its fullline position as shown in the Figure 5, a pin 11 on the said lever arm will force the free end of the catch out of engagement with locking slot 13. A depression 18 in the spring v80 and 8|.

audace catch forms a detent or seat for the pin 11 when said catch is in unlocked position. By returning the arm 14 to its dot and dash position, the end of the catch 1I will again engage a slot 13 as itv passes thereby.

In practice when a child is placed in the chair I2 through the opening I9, the said chair is in its rearmost position with the back 29 against.

the apron member I6, in order to permit easy placement of the child in said chair. With the child in place the chair is moved forwardly until the child is in such close proximity to the front of the table opening, that the child cannot intentionally get up or unintentionally fall out.

When in the aforegoing position the catch 1I is permitted to snap into a notch 1.3 and lock l the chair in place.

In Figures 9 to 1l there is shown a modiedA form of the chair suspension means. In this form of the invention, the planks 49 and 50 are each provided at both ends with shoes or sliding members 19 adapted to ride on the horizontal portions 80a and 8la of a pair of guides or tracks The upper ends of these guides are cradled or supported at 82, the bottom of the upper lateral notch portion in the apron I8. A vertical grooveA 83 connects the upper lateral notch portion with 84, the bottom of the vertical groove portion to provide for vertical adjustment of the chair suspension means and chair carried thereby.

scribed, a self supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair suspension means carried bysaid table below the top. a chair suspended from said suspension means, the said chair having a seat and a back, the saidseat being positioned below the table top opening and the back extending upwardly through the table top opening, and a leaf pivotally mounted at each of two oppositely disposed sides of the table top opening, said leaves being downwardly swingable and adapted to act as side portions for the chair when said chair is in position on the suspension means and also forming a closure for the table top opening when the back of the chair is removed therefrom.

2. An article of furnitureaccording to claim 1,

wherein the leaves are provided with padded sur faces disposed adjacent the sides of the chair.

3. In an article of furniture of the nature described, a self supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair suspension means car' The means for locking and unlocking the chair said latch there is provided a lever 81 pivotally e secured to the plank 50 and provided with a pin 88 which when the lever is moved to the position shown in Figure 10 dlsengages the. spring metal lcatch from the slot 88. A

When the chair is removed. the parts supporting and guiding the said chair may .be folded into position shown in Figure 11. As there shown, the guides 80 and 8| may be folded under the planks 4-9 and 50 and held in folded position by spring snaps 89 secured to the underside of said planks. As in the other form of the invention the leaves2l l are supported in extended closed position by the block 89 on the plank 58.

The chair does not need to be detached from -the planks 49 and 58 .when the leaves 20 close the opening and the table is used separately. By folding the back upon the seat, the inoperative chair can be stored underneath the table top in a manner similar to that describedabove except that the chair would support the leaves in the extended closed position mlneu of the bleek 69.

It isapparent that the specific illustrations shown and described above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of, limitation and that various changes and modifications may be made in the detail construction 4without departing from' the scope of the invention as dened by the appended claims. What is claimed is: Y

1. In an article of furniture ofthe nature `cie-,-

ried by said table below the top, upwardly movable chair supporting means carried by the suspension means,-a chair detachably mounted on said supporting means, a leaf pivotally mounted at each of two oppositely disposed sides of the table top opening, said leaves being adapted to act as side arms for the chair when said chair is in position on the suspension means and also forming a closure for the table top opening when the chairis removed therefrom, and a block on the chair supporting means adapted to contact the underside of the leaves and support same when the chair is removed and the leaves form a closure for the opening and the chair supporting means is in its uppermost position.

4. In an article of furniture of the nature described, a self supporting table having an opening in the top thereof. chair suspension means carried by said table below the top, said suspension means including a pair of spaced apart parallel suspension members supported from the'f table. said members being positioned one .adjacent each of two oppositely disposed sides of thd'table top opening, a sleeve slidably mounted o n each of the said members, one of said sleeves" having a plurality of spaced apart notches, andmeans on the table top co-operating with the sleeve notches for releasably locking same against sliding movement relatively to the suspension members.` 5. A self-supporting table having opening V in the top thereof, chair supporting means carried by the table below the top, a chair supported and adapted to slide horizontally forward and backward on the supporting mea'ns, the chair. having a -seat and a back, the seat being poshy tioned below the table top opening and the back extending upwardly therethrough, and means locking the seat in the forward position.

6. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting means carried by the table below the top, a chair supported ried by the table below the top, a chair supported by the supporting means, the chair having a seat and back, the seat .being positioned below the ananas table top opening and the back extending upwardly in the direction of the table top opening, a pair of leaves, means supporting the leaves positioned downwardly below the table top one adjacent each of two oppositely disposed sides of the seat and adapted to act as the sidev portions thereof when the 'chair is in position on the supporting means, the leaves being further adapted to close the table top opening when the baclr` of the chair is removed from the said upwardly extending position.

8. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting and guiding means adjacent to opposite sides of the table top opening carried by the table, a chair supported and adapted to be guided horizontally by the supporting and guiding means from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, the chair having a seat portion and a back, the seat portion being positioned below the table top opening and the back extending upwardly in the direction of the table top opening, and locking means for releasably locking said chair in a said forward position against horizontal movement on the said supporting and guiding means from a said forward position to the said rearward position.

9. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting means attached to the under side of the table, a chair supported and adapted to slide on the supporting means with a child seated on the chair from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, the said rearward position having an opening between the chair and the front edge of the table top opening of sufficient size to afford easy placing of the child through the opening and on the seat portion of the chair with the childs legs below the seat portion, and locking means for releasably locking said chair in a said forward position against sliding movement on the said chair supporting means from a said forward position to the said rearward position.

10. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting means attached to the under side of the table, a chair supported and adapted to slide horizontally on the supporting means with a childseated on the chair from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, the said horizontal sliding movement of the chair from said rearward position to a said forward position decreases the size of the table top opening between the back of the chair and the front edge of the table top opening and also decreases the distance from the front edge of the seat portion of the chair to the front edge of the table top, affording confinement of the child within the opening and on the chair, and locking means for releasably locking said chair. in a said forward position to prevent return of the chair to the said rearward position.

11. A self-supporting table having-an opening Vin the top thereof, chair supporting means at- .ward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, the chair and locking means for releasably locking said chair to the said table in any of the said positions.

12. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting means attached to the under side of the table, the said chair supporting means being vertically adjustable with respect to the table t-op, a chair supported and adapted to slide horizontally on the supporting means from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front. edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, the chair having a seat and a. back, the seat being positioned below the table top opening and the ,back extending upwardly therethrough and locking means for releasably locking said chair in a said forward position.

13. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting and guiding means adjacent to opposite sides of the table top opening carried by the table, a chair supported and adapted to be guided by the supporting and guiding means from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, a retainer. device movable with the chair, co-operating when in operative position with the chair supporting and guiding means for releasably locking the said chair in a said forward position and means for moving said retainer to inoperative position.

14. A self-supporting table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting and guiding means adjacent to opposite sides of the table top opening carried by the table, a chair supported and adapted to be guided by the supporting and guiding means from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to said rearward position, a retainer device attached to the under side of the table, co-operating when in operative position with means movable with the chair for releasably locking the said chair in a said forward position and means for moving said retainer to inoperative position.

15. A table having an opening in the top thereof, chair supporting and guiding means adjacent to opposite sides of the table top opening carried by the table, a chair supported and adapted to be guided by the supporting and guiding means from a rearward position in the table top opening to one or more forward positions closer to the front edge of the table top opening, or from a said forward position to the said rearward position, the chair having a seat and a back, the seat being positioned below the table top opening, means for releasably locking the said chair to the said table in any of the said forward positions, the said chair being detachable from the said table and adapted to be removed from and inserted in the table through the said table top opening from above the said table top.

forward MILTON LAMBERT.

(References on following page) 9 REFERENCES CITED Nlu'u The following references are of record in the 2,089,184 file of this patent: 2,400,134

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